I fulfilled the female supporting role's wish and I succeeded

The empress dowager's skinny fingers, like the branches of an old tree, tightly grasped the emperor's sleeves, her knuckles turning white.

"Emperor, you've always blamed him..." The Queen Mother's voice was weak, and every word seemed to be squeezed out from the depths of her chest, "But he... is also my son..."

The emperor lowered his eyes, and the floodgates of memory suddenly opened.

When the Nine Dragons fought for the throne, there were flashes of swords and bloodshed.

The fourteenth prince Yinzhen was brave and good at fighting, but he turned his spearhead against himself.

He worked hard for the eighth prince Yinsi, planned for him, and won over forces for him, creating so many obstacles and murderous intentions for himself.

Those thrilling days and nights, those treacherous calculations, were like a brand, deeply engraved in the emperor's heart.

"Mother," the Emperor said in a heavy voice, "How can you forgive what happened back then?"

He pulled out his sleeve with force, and the empress dowager's hand fell limply on the quilt.

"Now, I'm letting him guard the imperial mausoleum out of consideration for my mother," the emperor said in a cold tone. "Is he letting him return to the capital to cause me more trouble?"

The Queen Mother closed her eyes in pain, and two lines of turbid tears rolled down the corners of her eyes.

The emperor turned around and strode out of Shoukang Palace.

The emperor walked aimlessly and unknowingly arrived at Yongshou Palace.

He stopped the eunuch from reporting and walked straight into the palace.

Inside Yongshou Palace, it was warm as spring, and the air was filled with the faint fragrance of plum blossoms, which was refreshing.

The Sixth Prince Hongxi was nestled in An Lingrong's arms, playing with a rattle.

"Mother," Hongxi asked in a baby voice, "When will my brother come out to play with me?"

An Lingrong gently stroked her bulging belly, a loving smile appearing on the corner of her mouth.

"It will be soon," her voice was as gentle as a spring breeze. "In a few months, you will be able to see your brother, and then he will be able to accompany you."

Hongxi clapped his hands happily and giggled.

The laughter was clear and sweet, like a silver bell, echoing in the hall.

The emperor stood at the door, watching the scene quietly, his eyes moist.

The warm yellow candlelight shone on An Lingrong's gentle face, as if it was coated with a layer of golden halo.

Hongxi's laughter was like a warm current that flowed into the emperor's heart and dispelled the haze in his heart.

At this moment, he felt extremely warm and peaceful.

An Lingrong, you are such a good mother.

I will definitely protect you and your two children.

A strong sense of responsibility and protectiveness surged in his heart.

He wants to give them a stable home, a home full of love and warmth.

He took a deep breath and imprinted this heartwarming scene deeply in his mind.

Then he quietly left Yongshou Palace without disturbing the mother and son.

The cold wind in December was like a sharp knife, cutting through the silence of Shoukang Palace.

The Queen Mother ultimately did not survive the winter.

On her deathbed, she tightly grasped the emperor's hand, her withered fingers like gnarled branches, deeply embedded in his skin.

"Your Majesty..." The Queen Mother's breath was weak, and her voice was as hoarse as a broken bellows, "Aijia... Aijia..."

The emperor leaned down and put his ear close to the empress dowager's lips.

"Fourteen...Ulanara..." A few intermittent words, like stones, fell heavily on the emperor's heart.

The Queen Mother was ultimately unable to utter his name.

Her hands fell limply and her eyes slowly closed, like a lamp that had run out of oil, extinguished in the endless darkness.

The emperor stared at the empress dowager's peaceful face, feeling mixed emotions.

He felt a piercing pain, like a sharp knife cutting his heart, making it almost impossible for him to breathe.

There was crying in Shoukang Palace, and the palace maids and eunuchs knelt on the ground, sobbing softly.

The smoke of sandalwood mixed with the strong smell of medicine created a suffocating atmosphere.

This smell, like the breath of death, permeated the entire palace.

The emperor stood up silently and walked out of Shoukang Palace step by step.

His back, in the dim light, looked particularly lonely and desolate.

The wind and snow grew stronger, and snowflakes fluttered down, covering the entire Forbidden City.

The world seemed to have turned into a vast white snowfield, silent and still.

The emperor walked aimlessly, letting the snowflakes fall on his body, face and hair.

He felt a chill running through his bones, as if he were in an ice cellar.

Fourteen, Ulanara...

The Queen Mother's last words echoed in his mind like a curse.

why?

Why didn't you think of me in the end?

Do you have a place for me in your heart?

The emperor's heart felt as if it was torn apart and the pain was unbearable.

He didn't know how long he had been walking or where he was.

Until the familiar scent of plum blossoms woke him from the chaos.

Yongshou Palace.

He came here by some strange means.

Gong An Lingrong was sitting by the window, holding a book in her hand, reading quietly.

The warm yellow candlelight shone on her gentle face, as if it was coated with a layer of golden halo.

The plum blossom fragrance on her body is quiet and elegant, which makes people feel relaxed and refreshed.

"Your Majesty?" An Lingrong raised her head and saw the emperor standing at the door, a hint of surprise flashed in her eyes.

The emperor didn't say anything, just looked at her quietly.

"Your Majesty, what's wrong with you?" An Lingrong put down the book in her hand, stood up and walked to the emperor, asking with concern.

The emperor pulled her into his arms and held her tightly, as if he wanted to rub her into his body.

"Rong'er," the emperor said in a hoarse voice, choking with sobs, "Mother...Mother..."

An Lingrong gently stroked the emperor's back and said in a soft voice, "I know, I know everything."

"She...she didn't think of me until the end..." The emperor buried his head in An Lingrong's shoulder, his voice low and sad.

An Lingrong's heart trembled slightly.

She could feel the emperor's sadness and helplessness at the moment.

"Your Majesty, the Empress Dowager definitely has you in her heart," An Lingrong consoled him softly, "It's just...it's just that she's old, and perhaps she can't remember some things."

"But...but in her last words, there was only Fourteen, only the Ulanara family, but not me..." The emperor raised his head, his eyes filled with pain and confusion.

An Lingrong gently wiped the tears from the emperor's eyes and said softly, "Your Majesty, please don't overthink it. The Empress Dowager might just be worried about the Fourteenth Prince and the Ulanara family, so she mentioned them on her deathbed."

"Really?" A glimmer of hope flashed in the emperor's eyes.

"Indeed." An Lingrong nodded firmly. "Your Majesty, you are the Empress Dowager's son. How could she not love you?"

An Lingrong's gentleness and thoughtfulness flowed into the emperor's heart like a warm current, dispelling the haze in his heart.

He hugged An Lingrong tightly, greedily breathing in the plum blossom fragrance on her body.

At this moment, he felt extremely warm and peaceful.

"Rong'er," the emperor said in a hoarse voice, "thank you."